BELMONT, N.C. -- Belmont Abbey broke the school record for longest winning streak Tuesday, sweeping North Greenville 3-0 and 11-5 in Conference Carolinas softball action at Crusader Field. The previous mark of 12 set back in 2004.
With the wins in the 2021 home finale, The Crusaders improve to 17-11 overall and 12-3 in league play, one game up in the standings with four to play.
THE OPENER
- Melissa Neyhouse was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Cameron Cooper was 1-for-2 with two runs driven in.
- Katie Allison and Mackenzie Sprinkle also had singles to round out the five-hit attack.
- Cooper delivered the big blow in the defensive struggle, doubling in two runs to break a scoreless tie in the third.
- Neyhouse plated an insurance run by pinch-runner Afton Jessee in the fourth to make the score 3-0. Jessee was running for Mackenzie Allison, who drew a one-out walk.
- Annabeth Watkins was masterful against the powerful visitors' lineup. She allowed just three hits in the complete-game shutout, walking one and striking out three. She won her seventh straight start to improve to 9-6 on the season.
THE NIGHTCAP
- Hailey Gass enjoyed a 3-for-4 contest with three runs driven in, while Neyhouse another multi-hit game (2-for-4). She also scored twice and drove in one.
- Payton Whitley, Sprinkle and Cooper also had hits.
- The Abbey capitalized on six NGU errors, as only five of its 11 runs were earned.
- Morgan Smith opened the scoring in the first when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
- In the second, the Crusaders plated six runs on just two hits, taking advantage of three error.
- The score reached 8-0 in the third before North Greenville got on the board for the first time all day with two in the fourth, then added two in the fifth and one in the sixth to cut the margin to 9-5.
- The Abbey added two in the sixth to cap the scoring.
- Watkins, the third and final pitcher in the circle, picked up a second win on the day to move to 10-6. She allowed one run on just two hits in 2.2 innings of relief.Â
UP NEXT
- Belmont Abbey closes out the regular-season with a pair of road doubleheaders this weekend.
- The Crusaders travel to Lees-McRae on Friday and King on Saturday.